Exposure Modeling With Threat-Specific Attack Path Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current exposure management systems fail to prioritize effectively the different parts of an organization's exposure, making it difficult to guide organizations to focus on what truly matters in terms of risk mitigation and vulnerability remediation.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that create models of threat actors and organizations, determine attack paths using an attack path simulator, and combine these into attack trees and forests to prioritize vulnerabilities and misconfigurations based on relevance to the organization, utilizing threat intelligence and organizational data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current exposure management systems analyze all vulnerabilities and attack paths, then comprehensive security coverage is achieved, but the systems cannot effectively prioritize different parts of exposure making it difficult to guide organizations to focus on what truly matters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the exposure management system by creating distinct models for different threat actors (e.g., hacktivists, criminal groups, nation-states) with specific attributes and behaviors. Each threat actor model is analyzed separately to determine relevant attack paths, allowing the system to prioritize vulnerabilities based on specific threat scenarios rather than treating all exposures uniformly. This segmentation enables precise prioritization while managing complexity through modular analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the analysis to organization-specific characteristics such as industry sector, asset criticality, and geographic location. The system adjusts threat actor relevance and attack path analysis based on local organizational context, ensuring that prioritization reflects what truly matters to each specific organization rather than applying a generic one-size-fits-all approach.
2Measurement precision
If the system creates detailed models of multiple threat actors and analyzes all attack paths, then prioritization accuracy improves, but the computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining threat actor models with standardized attributes, behaviors, and attack patterns before analysis begins. These pre-configured models contain common TTPs (tactics, techniques, and procedures) that can be quickly applied to multiple organizations without requiring full analysis from scratch each time, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by focusing analysis only on the most relevant threat actors and attack paths based on organizational context. Rather than exhaustively analyzing every possible threat scenario, the system identifies and prioritizes the subset of threats most relevant to each organization, achieving sufficient accuracy without the computational burden of complete analysis.
3Loss of information
If the system provides comprehensive exposure data for all assets, then complete visibility is achieved, but organizations struggle to identify and address the most critical vulnerabilities first
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and highlights only the most critical vulnerabilities and attack paths based on threat actor relevance and organizational context. The system separates critical findings from less important ones, presenting prioritized recommendations that guide organizations to address the most pressing security issues first while maintaining access to complete underlying data for those who need it.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides multi-functionality by offering both comprehensive detailed analysis for security teams needing complete information and simplified prioritized views for executives and decision-makers. The same underlying model serves multiple user needs and operational levels, from detailed technical assessment to high-level strategic planning.
Data Source
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AI summary
An exposure management system and an exposure management method for assessing exposure of assets of an organization, the assets comprising at least one host (101, 205a - 205h), such as a computer or a server (102, 202). The method comprises creating a model of the organization controlling the assets, creating models of plurality of threat actors able to attack the assets of the organization, producing a reduced set of threat actors relevant for the organization based on the relevance of a specific threat actor to the organization in view of the created threat actor models and the created model of the organization. The method further comprises, for each threat actor of the reduced set of threat actors, determining available attack paths for the assets of the organization with an attack path simulator and combining the determined available attack paths for the assets of the organization to attack trees for a specific threat actor.